Traditional Jainism Is Not Enough Jain Education That Listen

SR No.: 269754
Original Sutra Author: N/A
Author: Jugna Shah
Publisher: Jain Centre of Atlanta GA USA
Total Pages: 2
Language: English
Classification: Article
File Size: 18 KB

Page 1

Traditional Jainism NOT Enough: Jain Education That Listens
Written by - Jugna Shah (year 1993) Jain Center of Atlanta GA
There is a growing concern that youths in this country raised on Jainism are losing their learned principles or possibly trading them in for ones in their immediate environment. This phenomenon encompasses everything from dating and marrying outside the Jain (or Indian) community, to drug use, social, political, and moral views that confuse many parents because they may differ from their own views. First-generation parents suffer from the fear that their children will lose their culture, heritage, religion, and language. Their fear is very real and understandable, and they have tried to combat it, but their methods so far have been only partially effective.
The idea up until now has been to educate and swamp children in Jain teachings, but my question at this point is how much good has that really done? My generation, the second-generation of young adults from the time they go to college and onward are facing many struggles. Many times we may not know how to deal with them in a Jain or Indian way as our parents may want us to do simply because we are not equipped with that knowledge. Parents get upset because they think that we just deal with things in an American way. Well it is hard for youths to create the balance between Indian and American cultures, and when religion enters the picture the situation becomes even more complex.
Teaching just the basic principles of Jainism is like learning science. We do it because we have to, we memorize the facts and store them away for later. However, because we are not tested on them, we forget them even quicker than we forget science. My point is that we need to apply Jainism to daily life, as we apply learned science principles in the laboratory. Things make more sense when we can see that a real world application is possible. Obviously all of this boils down to communication and the lack of it in the Jain community- that means in the Jain family and in the society. If you want your child to live a Jain way of life, to make decisions about life based on Jainism, then you have to look at the life and environment of your child and teach your child how to deal with life using Jainism.
The solution to this dilemma about how to pass on things such as religion and culture is quite simple. However, carrying out this task is extremely difficult, requiring qualities such as courage, dedication, time, and commitment to the youth. There is one individual that I know of at this time that possesses all of these qualities. He has made Jainism a way of life for himself, and that is what he is trying to teach young adults around this country. I am sure that many people know him, his name is Pravin Shah from Raleigh, N.C. For those centers that have benefited from his knowledge, you know what I mean. The kind of impact that his type of teaching has is like no other for the youth. He knows a great deal about Jainism and that along with his knowledge about the current issues makes him the ideal individual to teach the children today. For those centers that have not benefited from his presence, they should make the arrangements to have him come and share his knowledge.
Pravin Shah visited the Atlanta Jain Society about one year ago, and I can honestly say that I learned more about Jainism and how to make it a part of my life in terms of dealing with political, social, and moral issues in both a religious and real world way than from any other visiting individuals. His goal is to teach youths ages 15 and up about the basic fundamentals of Jainism